MORE NEWS, 5-21 (POLL SAYS HOUSE WILL PASS ENERGY/CLIMATE BILL; WIND SOLVES ITS BAT PROBLEM; SURVEY SEEKS BEST IN NEW ENERGY JOBS)

POLL SAYS HOUSE WILL PASS ENERGY/CLIMATE BILL
House panel to ok climate change bill-Reuters poll
Tom Doggett (w/Richard Cowan, Jasmin Melvin, Deborah Zabarenko, Ayesha Rascoe and Andrea Ricci), May 20, 2009 (Reuters via UK Guardian)

LATE BREAKING: FINAL VOTE ON HOUSE ENERGY/CLIMATE LEGISLATION LIKELY THURSDAY NIGHT.

"Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee have enough votes to approve historic legislation to cap and reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, according to a Reuters survey of specific lawmakers on the panel.

"The legislation, which Democratic leaders plan to have the committee vote on this week, would slash greenhouse gases that cause global warming by 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020."

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"The heart of the legislation is a "cap and trade" system that would gradually reduce the amount of greenhouse gases from utilities, steelmakers, oil refineries and other companies by requiring them to have permits to spew…

"Of the 59 members [36 Democrats, 23 Republicans] on the House committee, Reuters found that 30 lawmakers, all of them Democrats, would definitely vote "yes" or were likely to support the bill. The survey results were based on comments from the lawmakers themselves or from congressional staff on where their bosses stand…"

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"The panel's top Republican, Representative Joe Barton, has implied that every Republican member of the committee would vote against the bill. But at least one, Mary Bono Mack of California, might support the bill…according to an aide. Reuters did not survey other Republican members…

"Six committee Democrats in the Reuters survey expressed concerns about the bill, showed little support for the measure or were still undecided. They were: John Barrow of Georgia, Eliot Engel of New York, Jim Matheson of Utah, Charlie Melancon of Louisiana, Mike Ross of Arkansas and Zack Space of Ohio."


WIND SOLVES ITS BAT PROBLEM
Study Finds Reduction in Turbine Bat Kills
Leora Broydo Vestel, May 18, 2009 (NY Times)

"Wind turbines kill large numbers of bats each year — a public relations quandary for wind energy companies. But the results of a new study show that sacrificing some nocturnal spin time can save the lives of bats…

"The study was conducted by researchers from the Bats and Wind Energy Cooperative at the 34.5 megawatt Casselman Wind Power Project in Pennsylvania. The researchers found that turning turbines off at night during low-wind periods when bats are most active reduced mortality rates – by about 70 percent on average…Twenty-one dead bats were found when turbines were fully operational, while 11 were found when turbines were turned off during low-wind phases."

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"The bat-saving measure came with a cost…[S]witching the turbines off when they could otherwise have been generating power would result in an annual loss in productivity of as much as 1 percent…[Or] as much as 1,000 megawatt hours a year…[At] $70.00 to $90.00 a megawatt hour of wind energy, that’s a potential $70,000 to $90,000 annual hit to the bottom line…[S]uch fiscal sacrifices may be necessary to get projects through contentious permitting processes, and also to prevent negating the environmental benefits of renewable power…

"…[B]at kills are increasing as wind farms proliferate…And while turbines are also the cause of many bird deaths, the situation for bats appears to be graver. In studies that tallied bat mortality figures at wind projects across the United States, the number of birds killed per turbine each year ranged from 0.6 to 7.7…The number of bats killed per turbine ranged from 3.4 to 47.5."

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"Sometimes the bats die from colliding with the rotor blades – the tips of which can reach speeds of 180 miles an hour – or the turbines can also cause catastrophic damage to a bat’s respiratory system. The sudden drop in air pressure in the area near the blades can cause the bats’ lungs to fill with fluid – similar to when divers surface too quickly and get the bends…[B]ats may be drawn to the shine of the metal on the turbines or the sounds they make. Infrared video shot by researchers sheds light on this fatal attraction…

"B.C.I., industry and government agencies have joined forces to fund ongoing studies. Other solutions under investigation include bat deterrent devices like “sonar jamming” ultrasonic emitters mounted on wind turbine towers."


SURVEY SEEKS BEST IN NEW ENERGY JOBS
Announcement - Global Renewable Energy Recruitment Channel Survey & Global Renewable Energy Recruitment Awards

"Renewable Energy Jobs is pleased to announce that it is launching the first Global Renewable Energy Recruitment Channel Survey. Our global survey will explore current and future trends in job seeker behaviour and analyse the effectiveness and popularity of various recruitment channels used across the renewable energy industry and around the world.

"If you are currently involved directly within the industry please take part, it only takes 5 minutes."

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"Our results should benefit everyone involved in the industry, particularly both corporate and agency recruiters keen to ensure that they are utilising an effective mix of marketing resources, and projecting the right messages, enabling them to engage with job seekers on the right level.

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"We will be collecting data over the next three months and presenting our findings in September/October 2009…The information collected from job seekers will also be used to decide all of the winners of the 2009 Renewables Recruitment Excellence Awards…[for] Best Recruitment Agency & Best Recruitment Consultant and will include global and regional categories…

"All recruitment consultants and agencies are eligible, the awards are decided by the people that count - job seekers…Please take part…and pass on this link…"